Back away from the Ramen! Eat better without breaking the budget

When I was in college, I was content to open my kitchen cupboard and find it full of Ramen. Every flavor – except shrimp (yuck) – was represented after a trip to the grocery store. Not only did I know where my next meal was coming from, but I had saved money. Never mind that the instant noodles were high in sodium and had no redeeming nutritional value. They filled up this hungry college student.

Many years, several jobs and two children later, the thought of all those instant noodles horrifies me. I ate dreadfully during my younger years, because of my mistaken assumption that I was saving money by eating nutrition-poor food. Yes, processed food prices can be hard to beat, but o